Transylvanian Society of Dracula

The Transylvanian Society of Dracula (TSD) is a cultural-historic, non-profit, non-governmental organization, of juridical personality. The founder-members, chapter presidents and many of its members are reputed Romanian and foreign folklorists, historians, esoterists, writers, experts in literature, in cultural anthropology, in compared religions, magic and mythology. [ [http://www.answers.com/Transylvanian%20Society%20of%20Dracula TSD information on Answers.com] ] TSD organizes yearly, scholarly colloquiums, seminars, symposiums – and several years apart – a World Dracula Congress. [ [http://wiki.benecke.com/index.php?title=Transylvanian_Society_of_Dracula#Photographs_.26_more_from_Congresses Photographs and more from TSD Congresses] ] [ [http://www.ucs.mun.ca/~emiller/first_congress.html The first Dracula Congress] ]

All the information gathered at these scholarly events and from thousands of Dracula enthusiasts worldwide, is used in the initiation tours of the TSD, on 3 grades of complexity. [ [http://www.usatoday.com/travel/deals/inside/2005-10-26-column_x.htm Information about the tours, USAToday.com] ]

History

TSD was founded in the early 1990s by a group of writers, Romanian scholars, tourist experts, and others interested in Dracula and vampire folklore in Romania. Taking the lead was Nicolae Paduraru, formerly with the Romanian Ministry of Tourism.

In May 1995, the TSD chapter in Romania organized the first World Dracula Congress. This event attracted scholars and aficionados from many countries. The list of speakers included some of the worlds leading experts in the field, like Gordon Melton, Prof. Elizabeth Miller, Matei Cazacu and Clive Letherdale. The congress marked the first time when Romanian folklorists have the opportunity to share their knowledge and research in both the vampire legend and the history of Vlad Tepes, with their counterparts in the West [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=brj7yfaBkPAC Bram Stoker's Dracula] By Carol Margaret Davison, Paul Simpson-Housley] .

During the conference both the American and the Canadian chapter were established by J. Gordon Melton and Elizabeth Miller [ [http://www.ucs.mun.ca/~emiller/elizabeth_miller.html Prof. Elizabeth Miller] homepage] respectively, and a short time later an Italian chapter was founded by Massimo Introvigne.

Presence in North America

The nearest TSD chapter is the Canadian one. The Canadian Chapter of the Transylvanian Society of Dracula was formed in July of 1995, following the first World Dracula Congress in Romania and is recognized under Canadian Federal law as a non-profit corporation.

It is open to all Canadians and Americans who have interest in the Dracula of fiction and/or history. [ [http://www.afn.org/~vampires/tsd.html More about the U.S. / Canada Chapters] ] . The current President of the Canadian Chapter is Prof. Elizabeth Miller, Professor of English at the Memorial University of Newfoundland, Baroness of The House of Dracula, author, among others, of “Dracula, Sense & Nonsense”.

In the U.S. there is a Count Dracula Ambassador - Dr. J. Gordon Melton of Santa Barbara, California, author of “The Vampire Book: an encyclopedia of the Undead”) and a Count Dracula Consul in Tampa, Florida – Prof. Stephanie Moss. The Count Dracula embassies and consulates are Information Points of the TSD. [ [http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/recreation/TSD/tsdhompg.html The Canadian Chapter] homepage] [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=brj7yfaBkPAC Bram Stoker's Dracula] By Carol Margaret Davison, Paul Simpson-Housley]

The two chapters have a number of joint projects such as a new scholarly publication, "Transylvanian Journal: Dracula and Vampire Studies", group tours to Romania and other Dracula-related sites and co-sponsorship (together with The Count Dracula Fan Club) of "Dracula 97: A Centennial Celebration".Both chapters provide a regular Newsletter and the Canadian Chapter provides a lending library for their members [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=brj7yfaBkPAC Bram Stoker's Dracula] By Carol Margaret Davison, Paul Simpson-Housley, p.396] .

Membership

The American continent (North and South) falls under the jurisdiction of the TSD vice-president (and president of the Canadian TSD chapter) – Prof. Elizabeth Miller, author, lecturer.

Upon joining, new members receive a leather membership card, issued by the central office of the Society in Romania. The Canadian Chapter alsow publishes a newsletter, The Borgo Post, four times a year, and an annual Journal. [ [http://www.blooferland.com/drc/index.php?title=Journal_of_Dracula_Studies The annual Dracula Studies journal] ] Members are also provided with a Membership Directory as well as access to the Chapter Library and materials in the research archive. [ [http://www.ucs.mun.ca/~emiller/trans_soc_dracula.html Details about membership in Canada] ]

Subscription to the Transylvanian Society of Dracula (reserved for adults) is a form of support to the activities of the society and of the Dracula Library, the world's largest library on vampires, that members may visit by appointment [ [http://www.cesnur.org/Dracula.htm About membership] , Italian chapter] .

Notes and references

External links

* [http://www.ucs.mun.ca/~emiller/ "Dracula's homepage"] by Prof. Elizabeth Miller
* [http://www.cesnur.org/2008/tsd_02.htm One of the TSD] symposium programme
* [http://www.mysteriousjourneys.com/en/dracula_initiation_tours/latest_news/ The official news bulletin]
* [http://www.afn.org/~vampires/tsd.html TSD] information: American and Canadian Chapters
* [http://www.transilvania71.narod.ru/ The Russian Chapter] , Buley Ekaterina
* [http://wiki.benecke.com/index.php?title=Transylvanian_Society_of_Dracula The German Chapter] , president Mark Benecke, Ph.D.
* [http://www.nationalgeographic.nl/magazine/archief.php?idm=494&idmagm=77&action=bekijkartikel TSD reffered in the National Geographic Magazine] , March 2006 (foreign language)